Conn. radiologists face lower reimbursement

Radiologists in Connecticut are facing a serious reduction in the amount of money they receive for reading mammograms.

A May 11 report in the Hartford Courant stated that a failure by state Democratic lawmakers to restore $7 million for radiology services for the poor in Connecticut's budget means radiologists will be paid approximately $20 to interpret a screening mammogram and $25 for a diagnostic mammogram for high-risk patients.

Those amounts are substantially less than what the state's private insurers pay for those services, according to the paper.

The newspaper quoted Dr. Michael Crain, CEO of Radiologic Associates of Middletown, as saying the monetary shortfall will adversely affect poor and at-risk patients across the state and could very well lead to the closure of some radiology practices.

In June of 2015, the Connecticut General Assembly took heat for adopting a budget that cut radiology payments for Medicaid patients by $4.5 million.